


Doing It Differently

by ThoseWhoShowUp



Category: Veronica Mars (Movie 2014), Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 08:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2645789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThoseWhoShowUp/pseuds/ThoseWhoShowUp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Veronica and Logan's two weeks. Written for vmficrecs November Prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doing It Differently

Veronica stands at the door of Dick’s beach house. She takes another deep breath and presses her lips together, almost turning away from the door again. For maybe the third time in a minute, she raises her hand to knock. This is ridiculous, she tells herself. There is no reason to be so worried. 

“How long have you been standing there?” a voice asks from behind her, causing her to jump. 

She turns around to see Logan, his surfboard resting against a railing next to him. He’s wearing his wetsuit, unzipped, the top half hanging down from his waist. It’s a look that allows Veronica to think of little more than touching him, of him touching her. She takes another deliberate breath. “H-how long have you been standing there?” she questions feeling more than a little caught out. 

“Long enough to know that you were nervous about coming to see me,” he states raising his eyebrows. He grabs his surfboard and walks toward her.  
 “How do you know I wasn’t coming to see Dick?” she retorts. At Logan’s pointed look, she admits. “I wouldn’t exactly say nervous, just…” 

“It’s fine Veronica,” he says. “Come in.” Logan opens the door and allows her to enter first. He leans his surfboard by the door and follows her. “Let me just… change,” he says, motioning to the wetsuit. “Make yourself at home. Dick’s out for the night,” he adds before going into his makeshift bedroom and pulling the curtain closed. 

Veronica moves into the living room. She hasn’t asked about Logan’s current living situation, but she assumes it has something to do with his upcoming deployment. She looks out the window at the now darkening sky. 

“How’s your dad?” Logan asks, causing Veronica to jump slightly. He laughs a little. “You didn’t used to startle so easily,” he states, moving into the kitchen.

She follows him. “He woke up,” she says. “My dad,” she adds in clarification. “He still has a long road to recovery, but it looks like he’ll be fine.”

“I’m glad,” Logan replies. Veronica looks upset, so he crosses to her and places his hand reassuringly on her upper arm. 

Veronica looks up into his eyes. “Thank you so much, Logan,” she utters. “If you hadn’t… I mean, you saved his life.” 

“And you saved mine,” Logan replies. 

Veronica nods slowly. Logan recognizes the same look in her eye that he saw two nights ago in her father’s house. He can hear the memory of her voice in his head, Don't go. He takes a chance that this look means what he hopes, and this time, he kisses her. He leaves his right hand resting on her arm, and cups her cheek with the left one before carefully and lightly pressing his lips to hers. Quickly the kiss deepens, and Logan has Veronica pressed gently against the counter.

When they break the kiss, they stare at each other wordlessly for a moment. Then Logan gently presses a kiss to Veronica’s forehead. “How about some dinner?” he asks. “I’ll cook or we can go out.” 

“Here sounds good,” she replies. “I’m pretty wiped.” 

Logan nods. “Beer?” he asks opening the fridge to assess the food supply. 

“Sure,” she replies. She takes the bottle from him after he opens it. She leans against the island as Logan turns his focus to a cupboard while sipping his beer. 

“Spaghetti okay?” he asks. “Sorry, there aren’t a lot of options.” 

“Anything’s fine Logan,” she replies. “I really just came to… you know, thank you.” 

“I’ll make salad too,” he says. She smiles. 

Veronica actually ends up making the salad as Logan focuses on the pasta and sauce, adding some vegetables and meat to the the jarred marinara. They have another beer each while they eat on the patio overlooking the beach. 

Logan glances at Veronica after they finish. “Want to go for a walk?” he asks. She nods. He wants to ask her when she is leaving for New York but decides he has no right because in a couple weeks he will be deployed and on his way to the other side of the world. Instead, he accepts this time for what it is. 

As they walk onto the sand, leaving their dirty dishes sitting on the patio table, Veronica reaches out and takes hold of Logan’s hand. He threads his fingers through hers in turn. “I love the way the moonlight reflects off the ocean,” she murmurs as they walk along the edge of the water. “I missed it.” 

“Plenty of water around New York,” Logan responds. “Moonlight too, I’d imagine.” 

“Not the same,” she explains, squeezing his hand gently. Most of their walk is spent discussing their missed history, the nine years of radio silence as Logan had dubbed it. The simple things though; nothing too complicated or heavy. 

When they return to the house, Logan grabs the dishes from the table and carries them inside. Veronica helps clean up. Unsure how to approach the remainder of the night. After the dishes are done, Logan turns and looks at her from across the kitchen. “Are you staying?” he asks simply. 

She answers with a nod. “I’d like to.” 

“Movie?” Logan asks; he walks toward her stopping only once he is unnecessarily close. He’s so close to her that Veronica can’t quite form a cohesive thought. “Or bed?” he adds. 

Veronica presses her lips together and then lets out a breath. “Definitely bed,” she says quietly. Logan has gathered her in his arms and is walking her backwards toward his bed before she even registers it. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Veronica wakes up to the light streaming in the windows. She blinks and finds Logan watching her. “How long have you been awake?” she murmurs. 

“Just a few minutes,” he replies; it’s a lie, but Veronica doesn’t need to know that. She smiles and leans forward and kisses him. His expression turns serious. “I think we should talk Veronica.” 

She tenses and sits up. She pulls her knees closer to her chest as Logan also sits up. He turns his body, so he is facing her. “So…?” she begins questioningly and plays with the button on the cuff of his shirt that she is wearing. She’s not sure what he wants to talk about, just that it seems serious. 

Logan is unsure of how to begin this conversation, but he has been lying in bed for nearly thirty minutes watching Veronica sleep. His mind has been conjuring all sorts of images of what the future might entail, and he needs to know which ones are realistic. “So when are you leaving?” he finally asks. 

Veronica glances at the clock. She should probably already be on her way to the hospital to see her father, but what Logan wants to talk about seems important to him. “I’d like to get to the hospital before lunch time, but I have time,” she explains. 

Logan looks puzzled. Finally, he shakes his head and says, “No, I mean when are you leaving to go back to New York, to your life?” 

Veronica bites her bottom lip. “I don’t know,” she says. She thinks the look that crosses Logan’s face might be heartbreak; she’s seen it before. She adds to her previous comment, “I don’t know that I am.” 

At this Logan looks startled. “What?” he questions. “But your life is there, your job… Piz.” 

Veronica looks at him with shock. “Logan, Piz and I broke up. Did you really think I’d be doing this with you if I was still with him?” 

Relief passes through Logan. He shrugs. “I don’t know; I guess not, but I wasn’t really sure what this was.” After a moment of silence he adds, “What about your fancy lawyering job?” 

“I passed up the job,” she replies matter-of-factly. She says these things like she made a conscious choice to end things with Piz and not to take the Truman-Mann job. As if, it didn’t all just happen to her because she couldn’t bring herself to leave Neptune with Logan still in trouble. Suddenly, she realized that is important information for him to have, important but risky. It is possible after all that he isn’t looking for this to be anything more than a fling before he ships out. 

She studies his face for a moment. If you want to do this right Veronica, you’re going to have to do it differently, she tells herself. Pressing her lips together for a moment, she says honestly, “Actually, they moved on, when I didn’t come back to New York when they wanted me to. I guess Piz essentially did the same thing.” Logan looks crushed when she looks back up at him. 

He never meant to cost Veronica these things by asking for her help. Now, he feels guilty for taking opportunities away from her. He’s let her down, again. “I’m sorry, Veronica,” he says with a tense voice. “I never meant to cost you your job. If I had known…” He stops. Would he have done anything different if he had known, would he have been able to tell her to go back to New York, to another man? 

Suddenly, this conversation feels all too familiar to Veronica. How is this about to become a fight? she wonders internally. Instead of keeping it inside though, she vocalizes it, “Why are we about to fight about this?” 

“I don’t know,” Logan replies. “Habit?” 

“I vote for breaking this particular habit,” she says. “I didn’t mean it like that Logan. I don’t want you to apologize,” she insists. 

“It’s my fault though isn’t it?” he asks, “That you missed the chance at that job; that you and Piz broke up.” 

Veronica shakes her head. “Not fault, no,” she asserts. “Logan if I had wanted to leave I would have. But, I couldn’t leave while you were still in trouble.” She pauses; it’s now or never, she thinks. “Or more likely,” she admits, “I just couldn’t leave you.” 

A smile forms on Logan’s face, and suddenly they’re coming together in a passionate kiss. “We still have some things to discuss,” Logan whispers against her skin. 

“Later,” she replies before gasping as he trails kisses down her neck. 

Veronica makes it to the hospital to see her father around lunch time. She brings him an alternative to the hospital food, though she isn’t sure if he can eat it. She checks at the nurses station on her way in. A nurse says it should be fine as long as long as he doesn’t eat too much. 

When she gets into her father’s room, he seems thrilled to see her. They talk while they eat; she doesn’t explain what held her up that morning. Omission is only a lie if someone asks you the question, she reasons. They play a few hands of gin until her father is too tired to keep it up; then they watch some TV. 

Logan shows up at her father’s house that night with takeout from Mama Leone’s. “If there is lasagna in that bag, I’ll be your slave,” Veronica begins. 

Logan grins and removes the items from the bag. He places the two pieces of lasagna onto plates and divides a container of caesar salad between them. “I brought wine too,” he says indicating the other bag on the counter. Veronica uncorks it and pours them each a glass. 

“You’re incredible,” she says as they sit down at the table to eat. 

“Because I knew to get the extra marinara?” Logan quips. 

Veronica turns serious. “I mean it Logan,” she says. “You know just what I need, even after all these years.” He doesn’t reply. Instead, he leans in and kisses her. 

They watch a movie, cuddled together on her father’s couch until Veronica almost falls asleep. “Come on Mars,” Logan says rousing her. “Carrying you to bed was a one time thing.” 

He leads her to the bedroom and kisses her briefly. He turns to leave when she begins to slip out of her pants. “You aren’t staying?” she asks. 

“How would your dad feel about that?” he asks. 

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” she responds. Pausing, she turns serious, “Please, Logan, stay.” He nods and slips out of his own pants and shirt as Veronica pulls a t-shirt on over her underwear. He pulls her to him in bed and kisses her gently. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Veronica checks in on her father in the morning and then runs by his office to check up on some cases. Mainly, she wants to do some work for Weevil. When she gets back to the hospital, its already early evening. The scene in front of her when she opens the door startles her. “What are you doing here?” she asks in disbelief. Logan is sitting in the chair by her father’s bed. They are watching a baseball game on TV. 

“Watching the game,” he says with a smirk. 

“Sure,” she replies. 

“Logan brought food,” Keith says simply. He indicates the bag of takeout on the table next to them. “We were watching the game while we waited for you.” 

Veronica looks at them skeptically. There is no way that this could be going so well. It is not conceivable that things are working out between her and Logan and her father is accepting of it. 

“I just wanted to check and see how you father was doing,” Logan explains. “Want to eat?” he asks them both. 

“Definitely,” Keith replies. “The smell of that stuff was making the wait difficult.” 

They eat and talk. It is mostly awkward. Veronica can tell Logan is trying really hard to get of Keith’s good side; her father isn’t making it easy for him. After they finish eating and the baseball game ends, Logan says, “I should be getting home. I’m glad to see you are doing well Mr. Mars.” He shakes Keith’s hand. “I’ll see you later,” he says quietly to Veronica as he kisses her cheek goodbye. 

“So Logan?” Keith says pointedly to Veronica after Logan has left the room. 

“Yeah,” she says softly. She knew this would be an issue, but you can’t please ‘em all.

“What about Piz?” her father asks. 

Veronica presses her lips together. “We broke up the day of your accident.” She knew he would bring this up. 

“Why’s that?” Keith asks.

“It’s complicated dad,” Veronica began. 

“Logan?” Keith asks. 

“More the fact that I stayed to help him instead of going back to New York,” she explained.

“I’ve said it before but…” Keith begins what Veronica can tell will be a lecture about Logan. 

“Dad, I’m really not up for this right now,” she says. “I told Mac and Wallace I would meet them for a drink. They’re glad you are doing better by the way.” 

“Okay,” he relents, “but I reserve my fatherly right to bring this topic back up tomorrow.” 

“Sure,” Veronica replies reluctantly. “I love you Dad,” she adds kissing his cheek. 

“I love you too. Tell Wallace and Mac I say hi,” Keith says. 

“Of course,” she says as she leaves the room. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She meets Mac and Wallace at a bar downtown. She fills them in on her dad and his recovery, but before long, Wallace changes the subject. “I spoke to Piz today,” he says. 

“No need to get surly again,” Veronica replies. 

“He said you broke up,” Wallace continues. 

Mac looks startled. “You guys broke up?” she questions. 

Veronica sighs. “Technically, he broke up with me,” she clarifies. She hopes it might limit the lecture that is surely eminent, but she doubts it. This is the real reason she worked to postpone the lecture from her father; she doesn’t need two in one night. 

“I got the sense that his mind could be changed if you really wanted to,” Wallace states, taking a sip from his beer. 

Veronica takes a drink as well, allowing herself time to formulate an appropriate response. She can’t find anything witty to say, so she settles for honest. “That’s not going to happen,” she replies. 

“Why?” Mac presses. 

“If we were supposed to be together, we wouldn’t have broken up over this,” Veronica replies. 

“Over what?” Mac asks. “You still haven’t said. Is it about Logan?” 

“Everyone goes there,” Veronica mutters taking another sip of her drink. 

Wallace looks at her skeptically. “It isn’t an original story for you, V.” 

“You know, it actually is,” Veronica states. “I never ended a relationship to be with Logan.” She took another drink. “Piz broke up with me because I stayed here to help Logan. Do you guys think I should have left instead? Should I have left Logan to be wrongly convicted of Carrie’s murder?” 

Mac and Wallace stare at her silently. Finally Mac shakes her head. “Of course not Veronica,” she says. “We just want you to be happy.” 

“Thanks,” Veronica replies. “You’re good friends.” Everyone returns to their drinks, and it seems the mood is going to lighten. Veronica takes a quick breath. She reminds herself again of her attempt to do it differently this time. “In the spirit of full disclosure, I should probably tell you that Logan and I… got back together, I guess you could say.” 

Mac almost spits out the sip of drink she has in her mouth. “What?” she asks. “When did this happen?” 

Veronica bites her lip. “The night of my dad’s accident,” she says. Wallace is shaking his head. “I know you guys haven’t always been Logan’s biggest fans, but I’d really like it if you could give him another chance. It has been nearly a decade.” 

“What happens when you go back to New York?” Wallace asks. 

“I don’t think that I am going back to New York,” she replies with a smile at her friends. Suddenly, this changes the topic of conversation. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Veronica doesn’t drive back to her dad’s after leaving the bar. She realizes it might be presumptuous, but she drives to Dick’s. When she knocks on the door, she hopes Logan will answer. No such luck. Dick greets her loudly. “Back again, Ronnie? I need to look into getting that guard dog.” 

“Dick,” she replies in exasperation.

“Just kidding.” he says with a smirk. “I’m on my way out. Logan’s inside.” He lets her in before leaving. 

Veronica finds Logan sitting on his bed reading a book. “You’re reading,” she states. 

“A habit I picked up on deployment. We have spotty internet connection at best. Reading kills time,” he replies. “I didn’t know you were coming by tonight.” 

“Is it okay?” she asks. “I can go.” She motions to the door. 

“Don’t do that,” he says. “Of course it’s fine.” He grabs her hand and pulls her onto the bed, so she is sitting next to him. “How were drinks with Mac and Wallace?” he asks. 

“Fine,” she replies. “Pretty serious conversation actually.” She leans into his side more, and he wraps and arm around her shoulder. “I told them about us. I hope you don’t mind.” 

“Not at all,” Logan replies. “What exactly did you tell them?” He asks because he is curious just what she would have to say about them. They haven’t had a real conversation about it. 

“Just that we are back together,” she explains. “We are, aren’t we?” 

“I hope so,” he agrees. “It’s what I told Dick.” He puts down his copy of Into the Wild on the nightstand. “Want some ice cream?” he asks. 

Veronica nods enthusiastically. “Always,” she replies. She glances at the book as Logan stands and pulls her up with him. “You aren’t planning on giving up all your money and wandering off into the wilderness are you?” she questions gesturing to the book on the nightstand as they pass. 

“Not at this time,” he replies with a smirk. He opens the freezer and pulls out two tubs of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. “Phish Food or Chubby Hubby?” he asks. 

“Chubby Hubby for sure,” she replies. She opens the drawer to get spoons while Logan grabs bowls from the cupboard. 

“So how did Mac and Wallace handle the news?” he asks as he scopes ice cream into the two bowls, Chubby Hubby for Veronica and Phish Food for himself. Veronica has hoisted herself up, so she is sitting on the counter. She looks at him curiously. “Come on,” he says. “I know they aren’t my biggest fans.” 

“I think they just don’t understand it,” she replies taking the ice cream he offers. 

When she makes no move to get down from the counter Logan leans against the island, so he is facing her. “I guess that is how Dick feels too.” 

“Understandable,” she says between bites of ice cream. “I mean, do you?” 

“Understand why we are together?” he repeats. “Only partly.” Veronica’s face falls. She had been looking for him to have the same confidence about their relationship that he always seemed to have in the past. “I mean I understand why I’m with you,” he clarifies. 

She smiles at him softly. “Why’s that?” she asks. She asks it lightheartedly, but to be honest, after the things that happened in high school and college, she can’t comprehend why Logan is with her again. 

He moves to stand directly in front of her, setting his ice cream down. “You’re dedicated, passionate, intelligent, feisty, and damn sexy, just to name a few. You’re incredible.” He runs his hands over her arms. She grins and kisses him quickly, then offers him a bite of her ice cream. “I’m kind of with Mac and Wallace on my confusion about why you are with me,” he adds as he leans back against the island again. 

“You’re kidding right?” she asks. At his head shake, she realizes he is serious. He has taken the opportunity of this moment of lightheartedness to share a real fear. Veronica looks down at her lap. “Logan, you are loyal and strong, and so brave; you’re funny and sweet at just the right times.” She pauses and set down her ice cream bowl. “You’re perfect,” she finally murmurs. 

“Hardly,” he scoffs. 

Veronica slips from the counter and steps toward him. “If I say something really cheesy right now, will you promise not to hold it against me in the future?” she asks. 

Logan laughs. “Sure,” he says. 

Veronica reaches up and grasps the back of his neck with both hands. “You’re perfect for me,” she whispers. Logan doesn’t even take the time to laugh at the sentimentality; he just presses his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Veronica lies with her head on Logan’s chest as he runs his fingers gently through her hair. “I have a question,” she murmurs. 

“Shoot,” he says. 

She shifts so she is looking at him. “When do you leave?” she asks. “I know it’s soon.”

Logan bites his lip and glances away for a moment. He kept meaning to bring this up, but it always seemed like it would heighten an impending fight or pop the bubble of their happiness. “A week and four days,” he replies, looking back at her. 

Her eyes widen. She had thought maybe a month, but a week and a half. “Oh,” she says. There isn’t really anything else to say. 

“We can make the most of the time we have,” Logan states. Veronica nods in agreement. She knows if she speaks her voice will crack and she’ll lose her cool. “Can I ask a question?” he continues. 

“Sure,” she replies, swallowing the lump in her throat. 

“Have you decided if you are going back to New York?” he asks. 

“I don’t think so,” she answers. “I think I am going to stay. I’m not sure how to tell my dad though.” 

“I’d think he would be happy to have you here. I know I would be, if you know I didn’t have to leave,” Logan clarifies. 

Veronica rolls over so she is lying next to him. She folds her arm under her head to prop herself up some. Logan also rolls to his side to mirror her. “He was really attached to the idea of me escaping Neptune. He was thrilled about me becoming a high powered lawyer.” She sighs. “I hate letting him down.” 

“Maybe you aren’t,” Logan says. “Just because that is what he wanted for you on the outside, doesn’t mean he won’t be proud of what you do. You’re dad is good about that, the whole being proud thing,” he explains. 

Veronica smiles. “When did you get to be so smart?” she asks. 

“Natural intellect,” Logan quips. He leans forward and kisses her. “We should sleep, so you can go see your dad in the morning.” Veronica nods and curls her body into his. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Veronica lets Logan drop her off at the hospital the next day on his way to the base. When she walks into her father’s room, he smiles. “You’re here early,” he says cheerfully. 

“I can see the drugs are working,” she replies. Sitting down in the chair next to his bed, she says, “Logan dropped me off on the way to the base this morning.” 

Keith’s smile turns to a scowl. The implication of why Logan would be able to drop her off at seven in the morning is not something he wants to be considering. “I don’t need to hear about that,” he mutters. 

Veronica offers him a sweet smile. She’s decided that if people are going to have a problem with her and Logan they might as well deal with it now. “Would you rather I hide it from you?” she asks him. 

“Yes,” he replies quickly. “Veronica, you know how I feel about Logan,” he adds. 

“And I’d imagine you know how I feel about him,” she replies. “Do we really have to have this fight?” she asks. “I mean you are in a hospital bed.” 

“It’s my right as your father to dispense advice,” he states. 

Veronica sighs and leans back in her chair. “Dispense away,” she agrees. “I maintain my right as your daughter to ignore said advice,” she mutters under her breath. 

If Keith hears her, he doesn’t acknowledge it. “Logan has a dark side to him kiddo. I just want you to remember that.” 

“Dad’s it has been nine years; don’t you think he could have changed?” she asks. “I certainly have.” 

Her father shakes his head. “But nine years later, you came out here because he was charged with murder, again,” he insists. 

“A murder he was framed for,” Veronica replies, “again.” 

“Still,” Keith insists. 

Veronica interrupts him. “Let’s not forget, Dad, that he literally saved your life,” she asserts. “I was there. He could have been killed, but he pulled you out of that car, otherwise…” She trails off. 

“I know Veronica,” Keith replied. “I’m not forgetting that, but it doesn’t mean that I want my daughter to be…” 

“Dad, I’m just asking you to give him a chance, for me,” she insists. “I… I really care about him.” 

“I know sweetheart,” he says. “I just don’t want to see you hurt again.” 

“I know,” she replies. She takes his hand and squeezes it. She stays at the hospital for a few hours before running to the office with a promise to be back that afternoon. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next week is pretty much the same. Veronica visits her dad, works on some of his cases, and spends the evenings with Logan. Sometimes Logan comes to the hospital with her for a while. Keith doesn’t seem any happier about it but behaves civilly.

A few days before Logan is set to deploy, Dick announces that he is throwing him a party. Veronica throws herself into helping. The night before the party, she is sitting at the table next to Logan’s “bedroom” making a list of things to buy at the store. “You know you don’t have to put this much work into this, Veronica,” Logan says, coming up behind her and running his hands down her arms. He presses a kiss to the top of her head. 

“I know,” she replies. “I want to.” Logan moves back into the kitchen where he is cleaning up from dinner. She stops and watches him for a moment. She realizes that throwing herself into this planning is simply a way to avoid the inevitable; Logan is leaving. She sighs. She gets up and moves into the kitchen. She should spend as much time with him as possible. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Veronica is in the kitchen preparing food when people begin to arrive for the party. Logan drags her out to introduce her to some of his Navy friends and their significant others. She glances around at the guests as Logan is getting drinks for two new arrivals. The only people she knows are not people she is interested in seeing. She tenses dramatically when she sees Madison Sinclair. She turns quickly and heads back to the kitchen. 

“Look who came,” Logan says leading Mac and Wallace into the kitchen. “Maybe you two can coax her out of the kitchen; I haven’t had any luck.” He presses a kiss to the side of Veronica’s head. Turning back to her friends, he asks, “Can I get you two something to drink? Beer? Wine? Whiskey? We have pretty much anything.” 

“A beer is fine, whatever you have,” Wallace says. Logan nods. 

“What kind of whiskey?” Mac asks. 

“I’m, uh, not sure, I’ll check the bar,” Logan replies. 

“I’ll come with you,” Mac states following him from the kitchen. 

“This feels vaguely like crashing an 09er party in high school,” Wallace says grabbing a chip from the bowl next to Veronica. 

“Except you were invited this time,” she replies. “I’m glad you came. Logan was worried you guys wouldn’t.” 

“I would have come for you anyway,” Wallace says. “I was surprised when Logan called.” 

Veronica smiles looking at where she can see Logan digging past bottles at the bar clearly trying to find something Mac will like. “It was Logan’s idea to invite you,” she says. “I think he is hoping you guys will be more open to being his friend this time around.” Part of doing things differently, she thinks, is being friends with each other’s friends. She is making a similar effort with Dick. 

“I’ll keep an open mind,” Wallace says. Logan and Mac reappear in the kitchen. Mac now has a tumbler of what looks to be bourbon and water. Logan hands Wallace a beer.

“Time to join the party now,” he says pressing a drink into Veronica’s hand and leading her into the living room. Mac and Wallace follow. Logan stays pretty much attached to Veronica for the rest of the night. Only when, Jason, a Navy friend asks to see his new surfboard, does he leave her side. 

“Seems pretty serious for what, two weeks?,” Wallace remarks as Logan walks away.

“Two weeks or ten years, depending on how you look at it,” Veronica responds. “Just give me this,” she says, “I’m happy.” 

“On a different topic,” Mac interjects. “I was thinking that with your dad in the hospital you could probably use some help at Mars Investigations.” 

“That’s true,” Veronica agrees. “When I win the lottery, I plan to hire a lot of help.”

“I was thinking maybe I could help you,” Mac states. “You wouldn’t need to pay me right away.” 

“What about Kane Software?” Veronica asks. 

“I’ve decided I have had enough of selling out to the man,” she replies. “I’d like to help Veronica.” 

Veronica smiles. “Thanks Mac,” she says. 

“What is Madison Sinclair doing with your boyfriend?” Wallace asks looking out onto the patio. Madison is standing unnecessarily close to Logan with her hand on his arm. He looks completely puzzled by the situation before taking his hand and moving hers from his arm. 

“Being shot down, I’d say,” Mac answers for Veronica, who shrugs. 

Logan rejoins them and quickly wraps an arm around Veronica, who glances at where Madison is standing on the patio looking royally pissed off. “Where’s her boyfriend?” she asks Logan. 

“Apparently, he moved on to greener pastures or something,” he replies. “She was talking about it, but I wasn’t really listening.” He turns to Mac and Wallace. “Anyone need another drink?” 

Logan puts a real effort into getting to know Mac and Wallace better. They in turn show an interest in his experience in the Navy. Veronica loves watching Logan as he talks about flying; he lights up in a way she never saw when they were younger. Passion looks good on him. 

Wallace leaves earlier than Mac, who waits until she is confident the whiskey is no longer affecting her. When she does leave, Logan and Veronica walk her to the car. As they turn back to the house, he pauses. “Let’s go for a walk,” he says, taking her hand and leading her out onto the beach. 

“What about the party?” she asks. She looks back at the house where there are still a good number of guests. 

“Dick means well, but really it’s a party for him, not me,” Logan says. “Besides I would rather spend my time with you.” 

“I can’t believe you leave in two days,” she says leaning into his side. 

“You’ll be here when I get back right?” he asks wrapping his arm around her shoulders. 

She nods. “That’s the plan.” They walk for about fifteen minutes. Then Logan leads Veronica to a lifeguard stand. He sits on a step and urges her onto the one below it. She sits between his legs and leans back into his chest; he wraps his arms around her. They stare out at the water together. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Logan is standing in the kitchen shouting. “I don’t understand what I did wrong?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asks. “That is all I want to know.” 

“That isn’t all,” he mutters. “Shit Veronica, I thought I was doing a nice thing.” 

“I can’t have this conversation right now,” she says. “I have to go see my dad.” 

As she leaves, Logan mutters under his breath, “Leaving again, what a shock.” 

When Veronica gets to the hospital, she barely remembers the drive, not a good sign. Her dad is having a hard day, which is why she has come back. They talk for a bit but eventually the nurse gives him something for the pain which knocks him out. 

Without the excuse of visiting her father, Veronica isn’t sure what to do. She drives down to Dog Beach and sits staring out at the water for a while. It’s almost dinner time; she and Logan had plans, but that was before the fight. She thinks about that now. It was a stupid fight, and she had started it. Logan had called his insurance company and added her to his car insurance, so she could use it while he was deployed. It was nice really, but she had freaked out. 

Slowly she stands and gets back in the car. She drives to Dick’s and knocks hesitantly on the door. Logan opens it silently. She looks down at her feet and then back at him. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs. 

“Okay,” he replies. “Come in.” She lets her enter and follows her to the table. “I think we should talk about it,” he adds. 

She nods. “It was stupid; I don’t know why I got so upset.” Logan just looks at her. “Okay fine, I do.” She walks into the living room and plops down on the couch. “It just seemed like something big, a step or something, and you are leaving, and…”

Logan furrows his brow. “I am leaving,” he says. “But Veronica, I don’t want to leave you.” He sits next to her. “I still don’t understand why you got so upset.” 

She presses her lips together. Honesty, she tells herself. If she is serious about doing this differently this time around she needs to remember it’s okay to be vulnerable. “I was scared,” she finally breaths out, “Am scared.” 

“Of what?” he asks quietly. 

Veronica takes a deep breath and looks away. “That you won’t come back,” she finally states. 

“I’ll come back,” he asserts. “I’ve waited too long for this for us to only get two weeks.” 

She nods. “You can’t promise that though,” she says. 

“I can’t, but I’ll try my best,” he replies, “And we can email and Skype. Then I’ll be home and bothering you before you know it.” He coaxes a laugh out of her. “Now, go change,” he says. “We have reservations in thirty minutes.” He kisses her before standing and pulling her up from the couch. 

“God, Veronica,” Logan says as she comes out of the bathroom. “You look incredible.”

“Thanks,” she replies. “Not too shabby yourself Lieutenant.” She leans up and kisses him passionately. 

They eat at a nice restaurant over looking the water. It’s perfect. When they get back to Dick’s house, they barely make it to Logan’s bed before they collided together, quickly removing each other’s clothing. “Dick better be gone,” Veronica murmurs. 

“He said he was staying at Mandy’s house,” Logan replies absently. 

“Who’s Mandy?” Veronica asks. “You know what, never-mind,” she adds turning her attention back to Logan. 

Neither of them really sleep that night, just brief moments before they wake and remember the limited time remaining. Logan thinks how lucky it is he doesn’t have to fly tomorrow. He doesn’t think it would be safe on this little sleep. Veronica is finally sleeping when he gets up to shower and get dressed. When he is completely ready, he watches her for as long as possible. Then he pulls out his phone to take her picture. 

She stirs. “No, it’s too early,” she murmurs when she sees him.


End file.
